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Abstract
San Dimas Canyon seems a wild place beyond the reach of civilization. It is home to black bears, gray foxes, Anna's hummingbirds, scrub jays, and in early summer, a multitude of biting insects. Along the steep, northfacing hillsides, the chaparral has the appearance of an ancient forest. From within the canyon it is difficult to remember that one is less than 7 km from metropolitan Los Angeles. It is also difficult to conceive of the landscape swept by flames 30- or 40-m high, or to visualize San Dimas Creek afterwards scoured by debris flows. Our difficulty in perceiving these catastrophic events makes it difficult to alter their course and consequences because to do so involves substantial cost and risks.
Citation
Riggan, Philip J.; Franklin, Scott E.; Brass, James A.; Brooks, Fred E. 1994. Perspectives on fire management in Mediterranean ecosystems of southern California. In: Moreno, Jose M.; Oechel, Walter C. (eds), The role of fire in Mediterranean-type ecosystems. Ecological studies vol. 107. Springer-Verlag New York Inc: 140-162. Chapter 8.
